3 coqui frogs captured on Oahu

Crews from the Hawaii Dept. of Agriculture captured three coqui frogs Wednesday night in separate areas of Oahu.

One coqui frog was found on a boat at a residence in Kahaluu and the others at nurseries in Kaimuki and Kunia. All three incidents were reported on Monday and Tuesday of this week by neighbors of those properties who reported hearing the coqui frog’s distinct two-tone mating call.

“Our staff on Oahu have been diligent in following up on calls from the public and have been able to eradicate coqui frogs on this island,” said Scott Enright, chairperson of the Hawaii Board of Agriculture. “As with any potential invasive species, we encourage residents to be our eyes and ears and report possible infestations.”

It is suspected that the coqui frogs found at the nurseries hitchhiked from Hawaii Island on plant material.

The Kahaluu capture involved possible movement aboard a boat that was shipped from Hawaii Island.

There have been few calls to report coqui over the past few months, but the frogs become more active as the weather gets warmer, which may account for the number of reports this week.

Suspected invasive species should be reported to the state’s toll-free pest hotline at 643-PEST (7378).